1. Field of the Invention
One or more embodiments of the present general inventive concept relate to a developing device and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus employing the development device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrophotographic image forming apparatuses print an image on a recording medium by irradiating light, which is modulated to correspond to image information, onto a photoconductor in order to form an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the photoconductor, supplying toner to the electrostatic latent image in order to develop the electrostatic latent image into a visible toner image, and then, transferring and fixing the toner image onto the recording medium. Electrophotographic image forming apparatuses include a developing device containing toner.
The photoconductor and the toner may be provided via a cartridge which may be referred to as a ‘developing device’. When the toner contained in the developing device is completely consumed, the developing device is removed from the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and a new developing device is inserted into the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
A developing device may be divided into a toner container and a developing unit. Before the developing device is inserted into an image forming apparatus, the toner container and the developing unit are isolated from each other by disposing a blocking film therebetween. The blocking film is removed in order to connect the toner container and the developing unit with each other before the developing device is inserted into the image forming apparatus. When the toner container is not completely isolated from the developing unit, toner may leak to the developing unit during delivery of the developing device. If toner leaks to the developing unit, it may be difficult to remove the blocking film.